The world's first space launch centre: The foundation of space research was also laid during the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union (Russia). When the two superpowers were competing in space exploration, 3 US astronauts reached the moon in 1969. At one point in space exploration, the Soviet Union established the first space launch center on the territory of Kazakhstan. This was the same space center where the first satellite on Earth was launched. The space center that the whole world has its eyes on is named Baikonur Cosmodrome Spaceport. Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union and is an independent country today.
A space center with a glorious past gets hot all around. On June 11, a 25-year-old man died of heatstroke while visiting the space center. This death incident has once again brought the space center into the news. Another 27-year-old man who visited the space launch center with the deceased was arrested. According to Russia's RIA news service, two young men of French origin fell ill from the heat while passing through the cosmodrome. They turned to the Baikonur guard for help. Russian authorities are investigating the activities of the young man.
Although this cosmodrome is located in the desert area of Kazakhstan, it is under the control of Russia. One has to take permission from Russia to go to this place. This is the same launch site from where the man-made satellite named Sputnik was launched. The Vostok-1 satellite was also made here. In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin went into space from Earth. Currently, two shuttles of the space program are gathering dust. One of which is a test shuttle while the other shuttle was used in 1993.